


The flowers on your arm

by buckley_smarts



Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Drawing, Established Relationship, F/M, Flowers, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28763961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckley_smarts/pseuds/buckley_smarts
Summary: Sylvie Brett likes to draw when she's nervous or upset. After noticing this, Matt starts carrying art supplies with him wherever he goes. He wants to be able to help the person that has already helped him so much. Eventually the three colored pens that sit in his pocket become an essential in both of their lives.
Relationships: Sylvie Brett/Matthew Casey
Comments: 42
Kudos: 84





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody, it's been a little while since I lasted posted and this is also my first time writing for Chicago Fire! I hope you all enjoy this fic!
> 
> Also, I do not own Chicago Fire or any of the characters.

When Matt first noticed it, he and Sylvie had been dating for approximately two weeks. They were on shift and had just gotten back from a long, tiring call. An apartment complex had caught on fire with over a dozen people trapped inside. Squad and truck worked throughout the night to find the civilians and lead them outside safely before handing them over to the paramedics. 

The last time that Matt had seen Sylvie was before his third trip back into the complex, she and Mackey had been treating a little girl, probably no older than six years. From what he could tell, the girl had a severe case of smoke inhalation and third-degree burns covering multiple parts of her body. 

Matt desperately wanted to say something to his girlfriend. He could see the slight frown that was occupying her face and the way she would bite her bottom lip every so often. Sylvie looked stressed and he wanted to make sure she was alright, but he knew they both had jobs to do and that there were people depending on them. So, the captain put his oxygen mask and helmet back on before nodding at Severide, signaling that he was ready to go back inside. 

The ride back to the house had felt longer than usual and his team had been extremely quiet. There was a slight sadness in the air because while they may have gotten everybody out, they all knew that each and every civilian would have a long road ahead of them.

When they arrived back at the house, the men and women of 51 began filing into the kitchen area, eager to eat and then try their best to catch some sleep before the next call. Matt sat down in his usual spot at the head of the table, his fingers fidgeting with a pen while he not so patiently waited for his girlfriend. 

The captain really tried to pay attention to what Cruz and Kidd were saying, he caught the occasional sentence here and there. However, the conversation became increasingly less interesting when he started to realize that Sylvie wasn’t coming. 

Dropping the pen on the table and telling his coworkers that he had paperwork that needed to be finished, Matt began walking through the firehouse in search of his girlfriend. Just as he had predicted, Sylvie was silently sitting on his bunk with all of the blinds closed on the office windows. She was staring down at the light blue notebook sitting on her lap. One of her hands was resting on the book’s edge, holding it still, while the other was carefully moving the tip of a pink pen across the white paper. 

Matt had seen Sylvie upset, but that was before they had started dating. Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely sure how to handle this and he really didn’t want to risk making her feel more upset. So, Matt chose to simply sit across from her at the foot of the bed, watching her draw in the light blue notebook while tears slowly fell down her face.

Just as he began questioning his decision, Sylvie slowly looked up at him and spoke.

“She didn’t make it”.

The words were spoken so softly and quietly that Matt almost missed them, but the heartbreak and sadness they contained was clear. Knowing that he would need more than simple words to make her feel better, he moved so they were now sitting impossibly close to each other before gently wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Sylvie leaned into the touch, resting her head against him. Their bodies were connected at every possible point, leaving no space in-between. 

Matt leaned down to place a kiss on his girlfriend’s soft blonde hair, before saying “I’m so sorry this happened, but I know that you did everything you could”. 

No words were said after that. The couple sat silently on the bunk, wrapped in each others’ arms. Sylvie still had tears flowing down her face, but this was something she just wasn’t ready to talk about. 

Glancing down, Matt saw the notebook resting on Sylvie’s lap. The open page was covered in flowers, each being made of smooth lines and different colors.


	2. Sylvie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again, I want to thank everybody that read, left kudos, and commented on the last chapter! It really made my day. I wasn't expecting to finish this chapter so soon, but I had some free time today.
> 
> Also, I do not own Chicago Fire or any of the characters.

Those carefully drawn flowers in Sylvie’s notebook had given Matt an idea…

Later that night, he drove to the art supplies store that he knew Sylvie loved so dearly. Slowly scanning the shelves, he picked out a package of three pens. They were each a different colour; pink, light blue, and a standard black. 

The first two reminded him of the puffy jackets that Sylvie would always wear during the cold Chicago winters. Memories of the day that they sat on the steps of a recently burned house came into his mind. It was after 51 had pulled an elderly couple out of the burning building and rushed them to the hospital. Unfortunately, the wife didn’t make it and the husband was left alone after decades of marriage. Sylvie had wanted to do something for the husband, so they went back to the house in search of the couple’s beloved cat. 

Matt could still remember how the cold made Sylvie’s cheeks turn a soft red. He remembered how she wrapped her pink jacket around herself tightly while they waited.

Deciding that these pens would work, he paid the cashier before slipping them into his pocket.  
\---  
“Hey Scott, how are you?” Sylvie said into her phone, she hadn’t been expecting a call from the man today. They just had their weekly video chat two days ago.

“Hey Sylvie… I wanted to let you know that Amelia caught a case of bronchiolitis. I had to bring her into the hospital this morning”.

Sylvie let out a small gasp of surprise and concern. The paramedic side of her knew that bronchiolitis was fairly common in babies and that with the proper care, her half-sister would make a full recovery. However, the older sister in her couldn’t help but worry. 

“That’s terrible. Have the doctors said anything about her condition yet?” 

“Not really, but I’ll let you know if anything changes”.

“Okay… I’m going to come visit you guys as soon as I can. Call me if you need anything”. 

Chief Boden had been incredibly understanding of the situation and allowed her and Matt to leave shift early. Sylvie figured that it was partly because the chief knew how it felt to be worried about a younger family member. After leaving the firehouse, Sylvie and Matt had rushed back to their apartment to pack clothes for the next few days. 

So far, they had been driving for twenty minutes and in complete honesty, the ninety-minute drive had never felt so long. Normally, she would enjoy singing along to the radio but today she just wasn’t in the mood for it. The question of "What if Amelia doesn’t get better?" was nagging at the back of her mind, demanding her attention. Sylvie had already lost her birth mother, Julie, and she didn’t know if she could take another loss so soon. 

Trying to push those thoughts out of her head, she turned her attention to the scenery that she normally enjoyed so much. Driving to Rockford had become a regular occurrence for her and Matt because Sylvie wanted to be a part of her younger sister’s life. They would usually make the drive at least once a month with a ridiculous number of toys and baby clothes stuffed into the back of her car. 

After what seemed like forever, they were finally pulling into the hospital parking lot. She quickly opened her door before rushing towards the building with Matt right on her heels. The hospital was busier than expected so they had to stop and wait at the elevators. 

Sylvie could feel her heart beating out of control as they waited, almost as if it was trying to escape the confines of her chest. She subconsciously bounced on the toes of her feet; this elevator was taking way too long. Then she felt something gently brush against her hand, looking down Sylvie realized that Matt had taken her hand in his and was now holding it firmly. 

“It’s going to be alight”, Matt told her with a reassuring smile on his face. 

She nodded slowly before giving him a small smile back. This form of silent communication was one of her favorite things about their relationship. She loved that they were able to see each other’s emotions and provide comfort, even without words.

They were able to find Amelia’s room with the help of a nurse and the look on Sylvie’s face when she finally saw her younger sister was one of pure relief and happiness.

“I’m so glad that you’re okay” Sylvie said as she walked over to the side of the crib and gently held Amelia’s much smaller hand.

“The doctor says that she’s been doing a lot better” Scott told her. He hadn’t expected Sylvie to come all this way, but he also wasn’t entirely surprised.

“That’s great” Sylvie replied, letting out breath of relief.

Matt noticed that Sylvie had relaxed the tiniest bit, her shoulders dropping from the rigid posture she had earlier. He knew that his girlfriend was still worried, but this was an improvement. 

Sylvie turned to Scott, realizing that he must have been exhausted. “Scott… If you want to go home and rest for a while, we can stay with Amelia”.

Scott looked hesitant, stuck between not wanting to leave his child but also trusting that Sylvie was more than qualified to watch her. Eventually, he nodded at Sylvie, deciding that he really did need some sleep.  
\---  
Sylvie and Matt been sitting in Amelia’s room for two hours now and so far, there had been no change in her younger sister’s condition. She supposed that this could be a good thing, but she was really hoping for an improvement soon.

The doctor had taken Amelia out of the room to get a scan of her lungs and they were now in the room by themselves. Sylvie’s leg had been subconsciously bouncing for the entire time that Amelia had been gone and her hands were nervously fidgeting.

Matt looked over at her and decided that this might be a good time to give her the colored pens that he had been carrying for the past week.

The gentle nudge against her wrist made Sylvie jump. She looked down at the pink, blue and black pens that her boyfriend was holding before looking up at him. He had a small smile on his face as she gently took the pens in her hand. He slowly rolled up the sleeve of his shirt before silently offering the inside of his forearm for her to draw on. 

“Matt, you didn’t have to do this. I’m sure that I would have been fine, or I could have found a pen and paper somewhere” Sylvie said softly. The small gesture had meant so much to her. Matt had realized that she enjoyed drawing and was now offering her a method to release her worries. 

“It’s okay, I really like your drawings".

And with that, Sylvie gently used one hand to hold Matt’s arm still while the other began using the black pen to draw the smooth lines that made up the petals of a flower. Once she had finished, she switched to the pink pen to fill in the black outline. 

The process continued throughout the day, even when Scott was back at the hospital and Amelia had been safely returned to her crib. 

That night, when they were laying in the bed of their hotel room, Sylvie couldn’t help but smile at the collection of pink and blue flowers that decorated Matt’s arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> A/N: I'm pretty excited to post the next chapter. It will be Casey's turn to use the coloured pens!


	3. Matt (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm sorry that it took me so long to finish this chapter but I got a little busy with school work. Once again, thank you to everybody that read, left kudos, and commented on the last chapter! I wasn't actually expecting this much feedback :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading!!!
> 
> Also, I do not own Chicago Fire or any of the characters.

Matt stood nervously on the porch of a large house. He had been here many times before, but he still loved to admire both its interior and exterior. The house itself was a simple white with multiple large windows and black trimming. The roof was covered in light grey tiles and the lawn in front of the house was a healthy green. Whoever had designed and built the house certainly did a good job.

He had left at 5:30 this morning just so he could be here. Sylvie was still asleep as expected, so Matt left a note saying that there were some errands he needed to run before shift. Of course, the conversation he was about to have was definitely more daunting then grocery shopping.

Subconsciously, his fingers reached into his pocket and began twisting the colored pens that he had been carrying for the past year and three months. The pens were smooth, round, and small. He continued fidgeting with them as an idea began to grow in the back of his mind.

That was when the door to the house opened and a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.

“Hi Mrs. Brett”  
\---  
When Sylvie woke up this morning, the space beside her was unusually cold and empty. A tiny frown grew on her face, before she realized that a piece of paper laid where her boyfriend normally slept. 

_Sylvie,  
There are a few things that I need to do before shift. I meant to tell you last night, but I forgot, and I didn’t want to wake you this morning.  
I’ll see you later beautiful,  
Matt_

Looking at Matt’s small and slightly messy writing, she felt a little disappointed that they weren’t going to spend the morning together. Although, Sylvie was happy that she would still see Matt on shift. She sighed before throwing the blankets to the side and starting to get ready for work.  
\---  
Matt walked into the firehouse with his bag hanging off his shoulder. Checking his watch, he was approximately three and a half hours late, _not bad_. The drive to Fowlerton was long, so the captain had sent Chief Boden a message earlier saying that he wanted Kidd to be in charge of truck until he got to work. So, everything should be under control, hopefully.

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Unfortunately, the first call came in before he could grab coffee or more importantly, talk to Sylvie.

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The call was to a private research laboratory near the boundaries of their district. As they pulled up to the scene, there were no visible flames. That was a good thing, it meant the fire hadn’t spread too far yet. Despite this, there was still an anxious energy in the truck. Nobody was sure what they were dealing with, but laboratories always contained loads of dangerous chemicals and equipment.

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After masking up, Truck and Squad entered the building to do a primary search for any civilians still inside. Engine was busy preparing the hoses for when the building was empty, and they could start putting out the fire. Ambo was already treating the civilians that had managed to make it out on their own.

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Casey and Gallo were searching the west end of the building when they heard a constant banging and a voice calling for help. As they got further down the hallway, they found a man slumped against the wall beside a heavy metal door. Gallo had helped the victim to their feet and slung their arm around his shoulders before walking back the way they had came. 

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Casey was about to follow him, but then the banging started again, only this time it was weaker. There was nobody else in the hallway, the banging was coming from behind the door. After moving closer to the door and peering through its window, he could see a person. They were kneeling in front of the door, using one hand to keep themselves upright while the other weakly slapped against the barrier.

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The window was made of what looked like bulletproof glass, there was no way he was going to be able to break it. He tried using his halligan to pry the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Looking through the window again, he could see that the victim was still conscious, but the banging was becoming even softer and less consistent. Casey shoved the tip of his halligan in between the door and its frame before trying to pry the door open before failing once again.

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His heart nearly stopped beating when the banging stopped completely and the sound of screaming reached his ears. When he peered through the door once more, the victim was laying on the ground, no longer moving.

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_They were dead._

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_They were dead because he hadn’t been fast enough._

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Letting his halligan fall to the ground, Casey continued to stare through the window. The flames around him were no longer important.

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And that was how Kidd had found her captain, seemingly frozen.  
\---  
When they got back to the firehouse, Casey immediately went to his office, closing the doors and blinds in hopes that everybody would leave him alone. He really didn’t want to hear any comforting words because the truth was, he couldn’t save the victim and he froze, putting both himself and Kidd in danger for longer than necessary. 

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There was a small knock on his office door and he already knew who it was. Luckily, Sylvie was probably the only person he was okay with seeing right now. After a few moments, she quietly stepped inside and closed the door behind her, giving him a comforting smile.

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“I heard about what happened…”

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A tiny nod was all she got in return. Sylvie moved closer to sit next to Matt on the bed, just like he had done over a year ago. Pulling a simple blue pen out of her pocket and holding it out to him, she said “I’m here for you, whether you feel like talking or not”.

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Letting a small smile form, he took the pen from her hand.

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“Thanks”

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There may not have been many words exchanged, but combined with Sylvie’s actions, they provided all the support that Matt needed.

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Despite the saddening events of the day, there was still something that Matt wanted to do. In fact, everything that happened reminded him that life was far too short and only made him want to do this even more.

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“Do you want to go out for dinner tomorrow night?” 

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His question wasn’t something that Sylvie had been expecting. She originally thought that they would relax at home after shift, trying to process the events of the laboratory fire. Nevertheless, she thought having a night out with her boyfriend would be good.

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“Yeah, that sounds nice”, Sylvie said with a smile and nod. 

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They sat in silence after that. Matt was concentrating on drawing small flowers on her arm, the same ones that she always drew on him. His lines were a little messier and petals a little more uneven, but Sylvie loved them all the same. She continued watching peacefully, sad about what Matt had experienced today, but also happy that she was able to help.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Any ideas on what Matt will do in the next chapter?
> 
> A/N: There will be a second part to this chapter! When I started writing this chapter, I didn't expect it to become as long as it did, which is why I decided it split it into two parts. So stay tuned!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm planning to make this into a multichapter fic and the next chapter will involve Casey's idea to start carrying colored pens for when Brett is feeling nervous. However, I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the next part, but stay tuned! You can also find me on tumblr @buckley-smarts.


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